Obama Suggests $22.412 Million in US Economic Aid to Armenia

On February 9, President Obama presented his Fiscal Year 2017 (FY2017) budget request- $50.1 billion in total.

For FY2017, the White House  proposed a $22.412 million allocation in economic aid to Armenia – a 22% increase over last year’s $18.360 million request; the lowest amount in such allocation since Armenia’s independence.

With the fluctuations and the differences of US State fiscal allocations to Armenia and Azerbaijan over the years, this time too, the FY2017 proposal maintained the customary parity in terms of appropriated military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan, with International Military Education and Training assistance set at $600,000 and Foreign Military Finance at $1,000,000. President Obama also requested $1,700,000 for International Narcotics Control and Law enforcement for Armenia.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) kicked off its FY2017 appropriations campaign last week, outlining its requests, which include:

1) At least $5 million in U.S. developmental aid to Nagorno Karabakh, with special focus on expanding the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center in Stepanakert, a regional clinic serving over 1,000 children and adults with physical and mental disabilities every year.

2) Zero-out U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan until its leaders agree with the Royce-Engel peace proposals to withdraw snipers and heavy arms, add OSCE observers, and deploy gunfire locator systems.

3) At least $40 million in U.S. economic assistance to Armenia, targeted to growing the U.S.-Armenia trade and investment relationship.

4) At least $10 million in emergency aid to help Armenia settle the nearly 20,000 thousand people who have fled to Armenia from Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East.

5) At least 10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be used for job creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.

6) Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan.

You can find the ANCA online action alert here